Means and method of uniting the margins of flexible materials.



J. W. WALLACE. MEANS AND METHOD FO R UNITING THE MARGINS 0F FL'EXIBLE MATERIALS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1918.

1,297,047. Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

omy both in the amount f h W rk TE STATES "JOHN iv. WALLACE, or RUTHERFORD,

"PA NT onnrcn.

New JERSEY.

' MEANS AND METHOD FOR um'rme THE MARGINS or FLEXIBLE MATERIALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11,1919.

Application filed m 20, 1913. Serial No. 245,808.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, J OHN W. WALLACE, a citizen of the United States, :residing at Rutherford, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means and Methods for Uniting the Margins of Flexible Materials, of which the following is a, specificatiomreference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, formingpart thereof. 7 I

My invention relates to means for uniting or securing together the opposed or meeting marginal edge portions of flexible material such as canvas or other fabric or the like forming an outer covering, such for example, and more "particularly, the outer canvas coveringcommonly employed around the heat insulating jackets of steam pipes and the like. Heretofore the opposed marginal edges of such flexible outer covering have commonly been sewed together by means of an ordinary needle and string. This sewing operation consumes considerable time, and itis an important object of m present invention to effect alarge econof time and of labor required to apply the canvas or similar outer covering. Other objects of my invention are inexpensiveness of the fastening device employed and security in the fastening produced thereby; Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter apear.

My invention includes a channel strip for receiving the marginal edges of the flexible covering material in the channel formed thereby, and, a locking strip adapted to lie upon such marginal edges in the channel of the channel strip, the flanges of the latter being bent down upon such marginal edges and locking strip for securely gripping an locking said marginal edges in place around the opposite edges of the locking strip and between the bottom of the channel formed by the channel stripand the turned over flanges thereof. My invention also includes the method involved. 1

I shall now describe the uniting means embodying my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter pointout my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is, a plan view illustrating the n of the uniting means of my ininsulatingcovering of a pipe,

the

completed as shown at the left of this figure and uncomplete as shown at the right.

.Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged transverse section on a vertical plane indicatedby the line 2-2 of Fig.1 as viewed from the right, and at the top shows the uniting means in place.

Fig. 3 is a similar view further enlarged and with parts omitted.

Fig. l is an enlarged partial transverse section similar to Fig. 3 on a vertical plane indicated by the line H of Fig. 1 as viewed from the right, and illustrates an uncomplete stage in the application of the uniting means 'or fastening device of my invention, in which the locking strip 7 projects outward at an angle.

Fig. 5 is a similar view indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 1, and represents a succeeding but still uncomplete stage in the application of the fastening device or uniting means, the complete application of which is illustrated at the left in Fig. l and in Figs. 2 and 3.

. Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating how the fastening means of my invention is applied in turning corners.

. In the accompanying drawings a pipe 1, which may be a steam pipe, is shown as provided with a usual divided or two-part heat insulating jacket or covering 2 which may be of asbestos, and which is shown as having formed therewith a usual lining 3 of suitable material, such as asbestos paper. At the outside of the two-part jacket or divided covering 2, there is shown a usual layer or wrappin' '4: which is commonly of paper or of thincloth having its edges overlapped and pasted down.

An outer covering over thethin layere, and the opposed marginal. edges of this outer canvas covering 5 must be securely unitedor fastened together. Heretofore commonly the edges 0 the outer canvas covering, such as 5, have been turned in and the opposed folded meeting portions have then been united or fastened together by means of stitching aplied with an ordinary needleand string.

According to my invention a channel strip 6 is provided having a flat bottom and lateral flanges upstanding therefrom and shown as projectingat right angles to the bottom, and a locking strip 7 is codperative with the channel strip. he channel strip 6 is formed of suitable bendable material,

such as sheet metal, and the locking strip 7 may be formed for similar sheet metal, although the latter could be formed of other suitable material, such for example, as fiber. However, I prefer to form both the channel strip 6 and the locking strip 7 from suitable strips or ribbons of sheet metal, and I have found that the metal strips which heretofore havebeen commonly employedfor the making of circular holding bands, for application around the heat insulation at the outside of a. canvas covering such as 5, to be suitable for my purpose. The locking strip 7 may be somewhat thinner material than the channel strip 6, as shown in the drawings more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5.

The channel strip 6 is laid longitudinally of the pipe 1 over the inner wrapping or along whatever surface is to be covered, and if desired or found more convenient in any particular instance, this channel strip 6 may be preliminarily retained in place by any suitable means, such for example, as by means of tie wires 8 passing around the pipe 1 at the outside of the wrapping 4 and passing through the base of the rip-standing flanges of the channel strip 6, in which holes may be readily punched by means of an awl. Starting with the work at one end of the pipe 1 or other object to which the outer covering 5 is to be applied, shown as the left end in Fig. 1, and proceeding longitudinally along the channel strip 6 and marginal edges ofthe canvas covering 5, the opposed edges of the canvas covering 5 are progressively laid over the upstanding flanges of the channel strip 6, as is shown in Fig. 4: and at the corresponding plane in Fig. 1, with the opposed marginal edges of this covering 5 disposed upon the flat bottom of the channel formed by the channel strip 6. Preferably the marginal edges of the covering 5 are preliminarily secured in place upon the projecting edges of the channel strip 6 by any convenient means, and I have found that this may be readily accomplished by means of small V-shaped sheet metal clips 9 forming clamps which nay be pressed over the up standing flanges of the channel strip 6 for holding the marginal edges of the canvas covering 5 in place thereon preliminarily, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Starting again at the end where the work begins, which would be at the left in Fig. 1, and proceeding longitudinally in the same direction as before along the channel strip 6 and locking strip 7 ,-the locking strip 7 is progressively pushed down into the channel formed by the channel strip 6 between its upsta ndingfianges and against or upon the opposed marginal edges of the canvas covering 5, from the outer projecting position of the locking strip 7 shown in Fig. 4 to the position thereof shown in Fig. 5. The loci:- ing strip 7 is only slightly narrower than the channel space provided between the upstanding iianges of the channel strip 6, thereby to provide for the passage of the marginal edge portions of the canvas covering 5, as perhaps appears most clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Next the projecting flanges of the channel strip 6 are preferably slightly bent inward and the holding clips or clamps 9 may then be removed and moved forward as the work progresses. Finally, proceeding longitudinally in the same direction again along the channel strip, the flanges of the channel strip 6 are turned over inward to a horizontal or fiat position, around the edges of the locking strip 7 and folded interposed fabric, progressively as the work proceens, and are hammered down flat and into firm contact and clamping relation with the reversely folded marginal edges of the outer covering 5, as appearsiin Figs. 2 and 3, and at the left in Fig. 1. This final operation draws the outer covering 5 tightly in place and firmly grips and locks its marginal edges, as will be readily un derstood.

it is to be noted, as is best shown in Fig. that the marginal edge parts of the fabric 0 are clamped between the turned over flanges of the channel strips 6 and the outer side of the locking also clamped between the inner sides of the locking strip 7 and the bottom of the channel formed by the channel strip 6. Furthermore, and of great importance, the fabric 5 is caused to make two sharp turns, one around the opposite edges of the locking strip 7, and the other around the inturned flanges of the channel strip 6, whereby slip ping of the fabric 5 is rendered impossible. it is to be understood, of course, that'the sheet metal forming the channel strip 6 is sutliciently rigid or unyielding to prevent the straightening out of the bent over clamping flanges, such material being sufiiciently heavy to withstand the required strain.

For turning corners it is only necessary to notch the flanges of the channel strip 6, as clearly appears in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The channel strip 6 and locking strip 7 may be employed in sections or pieces of any convenient length, and l have found a length of about three feet for a section to be about right for convenient use. Lap joints may be readily formed between adjacent ends of the channel strip 6, and similarly with the locking strip 7, as will be readily understood by those versed in the art. The uniting means or fastening de vice of my invention iay be applied ver rapidly, resulting in a great saving of labor and consequent reduction in expense.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly described, and also in the method involved,

strip 7, andare 9 channel strip,

Within the principle and scope of my invention. a

I claim: g a V I 1. Uniting means for fabric or other similarly flexible material, such means comprising a channel strip having'upstanding bendable side flanges over which the marginal edges'of the flexible material may be laid into the channel formed by the channel strip, and a locking strip adapted to be pushed into the channel between the'upstanding flanges and against the marginal edges of the flexible material betweenthe flanges which are adapted to be bent inward to a flat position to grip and securely hold the margins 0 the flexible material between the channel strip and the locking strip.

2. Uniting means for fabric or other similarly flexible material, such'means comprising a channel strip having its flanges turned over, a flat locking strip extending longitudinally within the channel strip and held in place by the turned over flanges of the and opposed marginal edges of flexible material folded respectively over the inturned edges of the said flanges and also folded reversely over the opposite edges of the locking strip and extending at' both sides of the lockingstrip and gripped be- 7 Copies of this patent may be obtained for tween the locking strip and the channel strip and also gripped between the turned over flanges of the channel strip and the locking strip.

3. The method of uniting opposed marginal edges of fabric or other flexible material which consists in laying down a channel strip with its flanges projecting, in proceeding longitudinally along the channel strip and marginal edges of the flexible material and progressively laying such opposed marginal edges of the flexible material over said flanges and into the channel formed by the channel strip, in again proceeding longitudinally in the same direction along the channel strip and along a locking strip and progressively pushing the locking strip between the projecting flanges and against such marginal edges in the channel formed by the channel strip between its flanges, and in then finally proceeding longitudinally in the same direction along the channel strip containing'the marginal edges and locking strip and progressively bending over the flanges of the channel strip upon said marginal edges and locking, strip.

In testimony whereof, I have aiflxed my signature to this specification.

JOHN W. WALLACE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. 0.

"ltis' hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,297,047, granted March 11, 1919, upon the application of John W. Wallace, of Rutherford, New Jersey, for an improvement in Means and Methods for Uniting the Margins of Flexible Materials, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 22, claim 2, strike out the word fiat", and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of April, A. D., 1919.

[SEAL] F. W. H. CLAY, 1

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 01. 24243. 

